| Deutsch and Yarmolinsky, comps. Modern Russian Poetry. 1921. | | | | The Devil’s Swings | | By Fyodor Sologub (Pseudonym of Fyodor Teternikov) (b. 1863) |
| | | BELOW a pine’s rough shadow, | |
| Where loud the river sings, | |
| The hairy-handed devil | |
| Pushes his devilish swings. | |
| |
| He swings, and gives a crow, | 5 |
| To and fro | |
| To and fro | |
| The boards creak, bending low, | |
| The taut rope rubbing slow | |
| Against the heavy boughs. | 10 |
| |
| The board sways back, and bracing, | |
| With a long creak swings wide, | |
| The devil, still grimacing, | |
| Guffaws and holds his side. | |
| |
| I tremble to let go; | 15 |
| To and fro | |
| To and fro | |
| I sway and cling, but no, | |
| My languid glances grow | |
| Fast where the devil tows. | 20 |
| |
| Above the looming pine | |
| The blue fiend’s sniggers sting: | |
| “You found the swings so fine, | |
| Well, devil take you, swing!” | |
| |
| Below the shaggy pine | 25 |
| They squeak and whirl and sling: | |
| “You found the swings so fine? | |
| Well, devil take you, swing!” | |
| |
| The fiend will not release | |
| The board that hangs too steep | 30 |
| Till I am thrust toward peace | |
| By the dark hand’s dread sweep. | |
| |
| Until the hemp turns round | |
| Too long, and is worn free, | |
| Until the broad black ground | 35 |
| Comes flying up to me. | |
| |
| Above the pine I’ll fling | |
| And bore into the mire. | |
| Then swing, devil, swing— | |
| Higher, higher, higher! | 40 | | | |
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